Mother and Father
by Peridot Tears
Summary: Prequel to Lover. Itachi is shocked when his clan announces a plan to attack Konoha. What should he choose: his family, or his home?


**Mother and Father**

_**PT: Yup, here it is! The sequel, Lover, was a big hit. So, here we are! Enjoy! )**_

_Disclaimer: Let's play 20 Questions, shall we?_

_Do you have a twin bro? Not a TWIN. Are you good at drawing? No. Are you a man? No. Do you live in Japan? No. Should we go on? No. Do you own Naruto? Hell no._

"Itachi-kun?" Itachi, his premature teen's face aware, turned at his mother's call.

"Hai, Kaasan?" Surprise spread across the Uchiha's features, as he noted his mother's serious expression. That was unusual.

"What's going one?" he added.

His mother's face was usually pleasant, lighthearted—but sometimes scolding. The scolding only came when she was stern about something, like little Sasuke-chan bothered his nii-san in his work.

Ironically, Itachi didn't mind, always satisfying Sasuke and pleasing his mother in the end.

"Clan meeting," Mikoto replied, and turned to a building's door with a wave of her hand.

Puzzled, Itachi obeyed.

He walked over to the clan building, curiosity nudging at his consciousness.

When he stepped into the room, he definitely shouldn't've been startled by the grave atmosphere.

Every Uchiha—save for the youngest, his own nii-chan—sat on the tatami mats. Not one of the dark-haired shinobi fidgeted; not even little Kiri-chan made a move.

Itachi paused a moment at the doorway, but went on quickly.

He took his place at a mat, next to Shisui.

His best friend hardly twitched as he did; he merely blinked in greeting.

Itachi needed to ask what was going on. Why everyone was grimmer than usual. But the graveness—not to mention how heavily this unusual atmosphere affected even his mother—kept him quiet.

Mikoto took her place beside Fugaku, and the meeting began.

"The meeting has begun," Itachi's father announced.

The Uchiha bowed their heads in acknowledgement, and then lifted them.

"As you may have noticed," Fugaku began, "we, the Uchiha, have been the greatest clan of Konoha."

Itachi took this in.

"But we've been distrusted"—here, his tone turned slightly angry—"and our own village has been trying to keep us low as possible."

A cold pit of ice suddenly formed at these words. Could it be… What was his father saying? He suddenly realized…that his father…

"We deserve more than that!" Fugaku went on; anger was clear in his tone. "I, and our other clan members have agreed…"

Several others? Itachi felt a sudden heat reach his stomach. Why didn't he know anything about it?!

"…that we will teach them a lesson!"

No… Itachi's hand was suddenly tight.

"One month from now," Fugaku said fiercely, "we will—"

_Don't say it. _Itachi found a cold sweat breaking at his forehead. Desperate thoughts crept into his mind. _Please don't say it… Don't say it…please…_

"—Attack Konoha! Take over!"

--

"Okaasan! Otousan!" Itachi called to his parents as they left the building.

They turned at the sound of their son's voice. He was running up to them as the rest of the Uchiha left.

"Itachi," Fugaku acknowledged as he reached them.

"Otousan." Fugaku waited as Itachi launched into whatever he had to say. "Okaasan, we could negotiate with the council…"

Itachi had to hurry when Fugaku raised an eyebrow.

"We can't attack our village! We could negotiate and—"

When Fugaku cut him off, he sounded impatient.

"Son," he said, "we've had plenty of that. This is the only thing to do."

"But," Itachi went on desperately, "this is our home! Our village! We can't turn on it!"

"Itachi" –ice dropped into the said teen's stomach at the more dangerous tone—"a home doesn't do this to its inhabitants. Listen to me now…"

"Home!" Itachi was close to pleading with his father now. "It's our home! We can't turn on our friends, our village, our comrades—"

"Itachi" –Mikoto just stood there as Fugaku cut him off again; his tone was no doubt dangerous now—"we are attacking. We are Uchiha. Our friends have turned on us."

"But—"

"ITACHI!"

The teenaged Uchiha saw stars as his father's fist suddenly pounded into his unguarded abdomen. He stumbled.

Fugaku had just punched him. _Punched him_. He had never done that before…never…

He heard footsteps, and pictured his parents turning away: Fugaku, coldly; Mikoto, obediently.

"Okaasan," he managed to croak, trying one more time, "Otousan…"

Neither of them answered. Itachi bit his lip. A stone was suddenly settling within his being.

How could his own parents turn against their home?

Now, what could he do? His village, or his family?


End file.
